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Civil Air Patrol Participates in STEM Expo

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1st Lt Dawn Stange (right) talks with students about CAP. Photo Credit: 1st Lt Liz Dunster, CAP (click image to view full size)
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NCWG takes part in STEM Expo and Career Day at Washington-Warren Airport

By 1st Lt Dawn Stange, CAP
NCWG Recruiting and Retention Officer

4/30/2018–WASHINGTON, NC–The NC Wing of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) participated in the STEM Expo and Career Day at the Washington-Warren Field Airport on Friday, 20 April 2018. This was the largest STEM event ever held in Beaufort County. Approximately 550 students were in attendance with 45 organizations represented. 

At the Expo, the students obtained information regarding career opportunities in areas such as: Allied Health, Nursing, Armed Services, Aviation, Boating, Engineering and Technology, First Responders and Emergency Services, Manufacturing and Business, and Teaching and Research.
 
CAP had one of the more popular booths in our vendor section. The students would congregate as we talked with them about CAP. Many had never heard of our organization prior to this event. “I loved telling them about who we are in Civil Air Patrol and watching their eyes light up when they find out what we do. It was great to hear their future aspirations and watch their wheels turning about how many different avenues could contribute to achieving their goals," said 2d Lt Melita Bulluck.
 
We were able to hand out many CAP flyers and brochures as well as new “Teacher” packets. The teachers were amazed to learn what all CAP does and they were thrilled to receive a teacher packet. 1st Lt Liz Dunster stated, “We met some great high schoolers and their teachers that hopefully will be inspired to attend a local unit meeting and join Civil Air Patrol. It was so awesome seeing how interested they were in hearing about CAP when we spoke to them.” 
 
Those who helped make this event possible were: 1st Lt Liz Dunster, 2d Lt Melita Bulluck and Maj Dave Hopewell from the Tar River Composite Squadron and C/CMSgt Joshua Stange and 1st Lt Dawn Stange from the Franklin County Composite Squadron.
 
This event was very important to the NC Wing as a recruiting event. Four rural counties with 550 students was a great way to spread the word about our organization. It isn’t always about recruiting as much as it is to let people know that CAP exists. Although some of the students who attended may be a little older than our middle school target age, many of them do have younger siblings.
 
During the Expo, CAP was asked to participate in a similar event in November. We were told this upcoming event would be twice as large as this one was. Our goal is to help CAP be no longer North Carolina’s best kept secret.